Two women have been arrested and charged with animal cruelty after nearly 200 dogs and cats were removed from a Brick, New Jersey home.

After learning of a possible puppy mill inside a home on Arrowhead Park Drive, Brick Township Police arrived to find cats and dogs living in deplorable conditions.

The home was reportedly so cluttered there were 'cages stacked on cages', according to NJ.com. That must have been so heartbreaking to witness.

dog victim of animal abuse and mistreatment
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Brick Sgt. Jim Kelly says the two responding officers found the home's odor so intoxicating that a hazmat crew was needed.

49-year-old Aimee Lonczak and 58-year-old Michele Nycz were taken into custody. The women must also answer to charges of child endangerment for exposing Lonczak's 16-year-old son to the home's environment.

Two dogs were reportedly found dead. At least eight others were taken to receive emergency veterinary attention.

Sgt. Jim Kelly stated, “The home was full of animal waste and the animals were living in horrible and inhumane conditions".

Most of the cages were not just COVERED but CAKED in feces.

In all, 45 cats and 135 dogs were removed from the home and most are at varying rescues and shelters in and around the Ocean County area, NJ.com reports.

Why, HOW can people be so cruel? I feel so sad for those poor helpless animals subjected to what can only be called abuse, in my opinion. I hope eventually they all find a place to call home or where they can be free from cages.

Below you can read the full statement released by Ocean County Prosecutor's Office:

Aimee Lonczak and Michele Nycz remain in the Ocean County jail awaiting court appearances.

A big shout out to the police and rescuers who snapped into action to save as many animals from the home as they could.

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